Turning Point and Living Well to provide new Health Trainer services

News item posted: 19 June 2017

Turning Point, the social enterprise providing mental
health, learning disability and drug and alcohol services across
England and Wales, and Living Well the social enterprise providing
innovative health services that support people from a young age,
have recently been awarded the contract to provide Health Trainer
services in London's three boroughs of Westminster, The Royal
Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and Hammersmith & Fulham from
January 2015.

Health Trainers provide a service designed to improve wellbeing
and combat the causes of chronic lifestyle-related diseases. Health
Trainers are local individuals trained to identify and make contact
with other local people to improve lifestyle choices such as
healthy eating, weight loss, increasing physical activity and
stopping smoking. Such factors are all known to contribute to
prevention of cardiovascular disease and lifestyle related cancers,
the leading causes of early death. They will also identify and
support people suffering from low-level mental health issues, such
as depression and anxiety. Poor mental health and well-being can
affect self-esteem and self-confidence. Helping individuals to
self-manage their condition can drastically improve their quality
of life and work prospects.

The team will also carry out Health Checks for those aged
between 40 and 74, assessing a person's risk of heart disease,
stroke, kidney disease and diabetes. This will help detect
potential problems early enough to prevent them or reduce their
impact on long-term health.